New to the forum, having problems with 4wd.

[fr7]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum. I have a 1998 ranger xlt, 4wd, 3.0, manual transmission. I've own this truck for about 10 months now, I've been slowly fixing things here and there, one of the things I did was get rid of the vacuum assisted hubs and replaced them with hubs and axles from an explorer.
Before I keep going I'd like to let you guys know that my problem has been there before and after I did the vacuum to live axle swap. before I did it the 4wd wasn't working due to the hubs not locking, they were rusted shot and the truck had a bunch of vacuum leaks anyway (leaks fixed), so I removed the vacuum assisted things off the hubs, freed them up, put them back and manually lock them, then I had 4wd.
Now to the problem; When I engage 4-hi the steering wheel leans to the right and the truck immediately tries to pull to the right, like if it was out of alignment really bad, I have to fight it to keep it going straight. Next, if I go too fast (35 or faster) there's a whining that I believe comes from the T-case. the worst part is that even when I put it back in 2wd it still acts like if it was in 4wd, maybe worse. I can stop on a steep incline, put it on neutral, let go of the brake and it won't roll down hill, feels like something is binding and keeping it from moving, sort of. I can do 2 things after that; stop, put it in reverse and dump the clutch, then something clunks and it's back to normal, or downshift a gear and dump the clutch, same kind of clunk but it doesn't always work. I replaced pretty much the whole front end components, including the front driveshaft u-joint and cv joint, (not sure if that's what it's called but it's next to the T-case)
I'm not sure of what to check next but I'm leaning towards the T-case or front differential. Any ideas, suggestions or tips are appreciated, please keep in mind that the problem has been there with both set-ups on the front end, thanks everyone in advance. 98 ranger 4wd 3.0 manual.

 

[Pauls 4x4]

I do not have a manual, but normally you gotta be in neutral to change 4x modes they are supposed to go 4 high on the fly but idk. The clunk is the case turning off and the "oldness"

I drive a lot of trails and when we broke a hub bearing at Moab we got what your describing.

 

[Curious Hound]

When you finally get it out of 4WD, does it drive normally? Or does it still pull to one side? If so, maybe you got a bearing lock nut too tight on one side.

I would Jack it up and see if the wheels turn freely. Lock and unlock the hubs and see what changes. Make sure you don't have a brake caliper sticking. Make sure hubs engage and disengage properly. It sounds like something is binding and keeps pressure on the drive train when you try to disengage 4WD.

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[fr7]

The clunk when I back it up is loud, kind of what you hear when your u-joints are bad but a bit louder, I could be coming out of the t-case but it doesn't sound like the shift motor.

When I finally get it to make the make that "clunk" after backing up the steering and everything works normal. ericbphoto, I don't have the locking axels anymore, I mentioned in my first post I replaced them with live axle set up, but like I said, the problem has been there before and after the swap and I torqued everything to specs. Any other ideas?

 

[Haywire6000]

Are all the tires the same size on the truck? Mismatched sizes will cause all kinds of weird things. A larger than the rest tire on the drivers size will make it want to pull right in 4x4. and a smaller tire on the rite will make it also want to pull right in 4x4. Also Even though it rolls easy in 4x2 doesn't mean a front u-joint doesn't have a problem. Jack the front end up with the wheels straight in 4x2 and try to spin the wheels by hand( they should spin with a little resistance). If they spin then turn the wheels (like your turning around a corner,doesn't matter what way) and try to spin the tires again. If the tires spin with the wheels straight but not turned its a u-joint. If you can't spin them period then it may be something in the front diff.

 

[fr7]

I just realized I put this thread in the wrong place, my problem is not an emergency, I'm still waiting for a response on how to move it.

Anyway, in the mean time, Haywire6000, thanks for the response. I'm running 255-70-16 tires all the way around, the door sticker says 235's stock tires I believe, but when I bought the truck it already had 255's so I just bought me 2 new ones cause the other 2 were almost new. I replaced the u-joints in the rear and front driveshafts, even the CV joint in the front shaft that is next to the t-case, all of those are new, about 1 week old. I wouldn't doubt that I could've gotten a bad part right out of the store though. I'll try what you suggest when I get home and see what happens.
Here's what I've replaced in the front end so far;
Wheel hubs and axles, lower ball joints, brake pads rotors and calipers, sway bar links, front drive shaft u-joint and the CV joint (or whatever it's called). I'm gonna do upper ball joints here pretty soon, I believe mine can't be pressed out so have to get the whole control arms, am I right???.
Anyway, I'll let you guys know tomorrow what I find out tonight. Thanks...

 

[wildbill23c]

Hmm, you mentioned you swapped the whole front axle assembly from an explorer? Something that hasn't been mentioned is your front and rear differentials need to have the same gear ratio. Example if your rear differential gears are 4.10's you would need the same 4.10 ratio for the front end, otherwise you'll have all sorts of drive-ability problems.

Check your ratios ASAP and don't be trying to use the 4WD until you get the problem fixed otherwise you'll destroy that transfer case, it should make a little noise going in and out of 4WD, but it shouldn't make a tremendous popping or banging noise like you are saying...that leads me to believe your differentials are not the same gear ratios which means you are seriously binding up the drive train, something is going to break and it won't be cheap LOL.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

thread moved.

 

[Curious Hound]

Checking gear ratios is a great idea. I keep going back to the fact that it pulls to the right. I would concentrate on checking the right side for binding. Maybe something is wrong with the cv joint you replaced. I don't think you will find this until you get the front end jacked up and can get to rotate things by hand to watch and feel what is happening.

We definitely want to know the final outcome for future reference.

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[fr7]

Ok, sorry guys, maybe I didn't describe my problem in an understandable way the first time, maybe some of you don't understand what I'm talking about, whatever the case is I apologize, I know everyone here is just trying to help and I just don't want to piss anybody off. This is kind of frustrating but I"ll try to explain it better this time.

No, I didn't swap the whole front axle assembly, just wheel hubs and cv axles, mine doesn't have the solid front axle set up (I wish it did), it has cv axles. I didn't replace the front differential. Now, I can't guarantee the previous owner/s didn't replace the front differential with one with a different ratio, I have to take a closer look, but if everything is the same and my door sticker and rear diff. tag are original, it's an 86 axle code, so, if my memory doesn't betray me, I recall that means I have a 7.5" axle, open diff. with a 3.73:1 gear ratio. All I did here is pretty much get rid of the vacuum set up BS..

This truck is a 1998, it came with the pulse vacuum hubs (PVH) from factory, when I got the truck they were rusted and I had vacuums leaks everywhere, so I got rid of the original wheel hubs and cv axles and replaced them with a set up from an explorer, which came out with what I believe it's called "live axle set up". (sorry to interrupt, you can google "vacuum to live axle swap" if you're still not sure what I'm talking about). I think ford put the same set up in 2000 and newer rangers after realizing vacuum was a joke, but I'm not 100% sure. Now, instead of my hubs locking and unlocking from the axles by a vacuum every time I engage or disengage 4wd, they're "fixed" or "locked", so to speak, which means the axles spin with the hubs any time the truck is moving, whether in 4wd or not, but I still have to turn the knob on the dash to lock the transfer case in 4wd in order to get power to the front wheels.
I want to mention this again, the problem I have was there when I had the factory "pulse vacuum hubs" and is still there after the new set up, it didn't change a bit.
Thanks again everyone for the help..

 

[fr7]

By the way...Thanks alwaysFlOoReD for moving my thread to the right spot..

 

[Curious Hound]

Hmmmm.. ok.

That's a bit more clear. So, to clarify, the truck pulls to the right and is extremely difficult to get out of 4WD. And the problem was there before you touched anything. Is that right?

If so, I would still concentrate on the front right side and differential.

And, no. You won't piss me off. I have been in the military and have worked maintenance and construction my whole life. My skin is thick. ☺

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[fr7]

That is correct, also I can have someone turn the 4wd on and off while I listen to the shift motor and I can hear it engage and disengage, which leads me to believe it's working properly. At this point I'm thinking a gear or the chain in the t-case are binding together or something, I kinda rule out the front diff since it turns with the axles all the time, if something was bad or broken I'd think I hear or feel something while in 2wd too, but there's always a possibility.
For now I'm gonna focus on the t-case, I'm gonna get one from the junk yard before I pull mine out so I have one to put back in case I find something wrong with mine.
Now, will a t-case from an explorer bolt right up to my ranger? My truck is manual so I'm not 100% sure and it's hard to find rangers, specially with manual transmissions, I'll try to work on it this weekend. Thanks a lot...

 

[Pauls 4x4]

The transfer case only puts power to the diff (both sides), it sounds like the power is only getting to one wheel.


Why would it dive to the Pass. side if it was the transfer case? If it was that it would drive "no" side.

Now that I am awake/ sober this time this sounds like the left axle isn't getting mechanical power because of an internal fault (busted pinion, dead hub, stripped axle shaft, etc.)

Drivers---axel--- {break} diff guts |------- Pass

If only Pass spun you'd get what you describe with every suspension part looking good, and it would clear up with no power in a live axle (98).

 

[Haywire6000]

The transfer case only puts power to the diff (both sides), it sounds like the power is only getting to one wheel.


Why would it dive to the Pass. side if it was the transfer case? If it was that it would drive "no" side.

Now that I am awake/ sober this time this sounds like the left axle isn't getting mechanical power because of an internal fault (busted pinion, dead hub, stripped axle shaft, etc.)

Drivers---axel--- {break} diff guts |------- Pass

If only Pass spun you'd get what you describe with every suspension part looking good, and it would clear up with no power in a live axle (98).

If the left (Drivers side) wasn't getting power then it would want to dive towards that side.... It sounds like the Passenger(right side) isn't getting power.